Pyrophorous lighter.



A. HARRIS.

PYROPHOROUS LIGHTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 191s.

1,084,330. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

fllllftfld@ STATES PATENT ALEXANDER HAB/R15, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LOUS V. ARONSON, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PYROPI-IOROUS LIGHTER.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pyrophorous Lighters, of which the following is a specilication.

The invention relates to pyrophorous lighters, viz.: lighters in which a spark is produced in proximity to a suitable fuel by rubbing or scratching with a metal striker a spark producing material such as ceriumiron or the like.

It relates more particularly to lighters in which the fuel is contained in the lighter casing or in the striker itself.

rThe invention has for its object the use of a fuel of such character as will greatly prolong the time which the lighter' may remain in use without requiring refilling, as well as a fuel which will materially reduce the danger and inconvenience present in the use of such lighters with the highly inflammable and explosive fluids usually employed as the fuel.

To this end l employ a solidified fuel, such as solidified gasolene, petroleum and the like, which is comparatively safe to handle and whereby for the same size container a much larger quantity of fuel may be retained, making frequent recharge thereof unnecessary.

The nature of the invention will be best understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a striker and container which may be employed for the solidified fuel. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a hollow fuel container for the solidified fuel and carries preferably at its bottom or side a strip of the pyrophorous material 11 against which the end 12 of a striker 13 is adapted to strike to cause sparks for the ignition of the fuel, as is well understood. This striker may consist of a rod, as shown, fitting within a tubular central member 14 providing a subsidiary chamber extending Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1918.

Patented dan.. 13,1914.

Serial No, 763,484.

longitudinally of the container 10 to Within a short dist-ance of the bottom, the said striker being adapted to fit snugly the outer end of the same or to close the same in other well-known manner. rlhe inner end 12 of the striker may be made in the form of a hard metal scoop or the like, with a sharp striking edge, to retain suiiicient of the solidified fuel which will adhere thereto and to the stem of the striker, the adhesion of the fuel being facilitated by roughening the aforesaid parts. The bottom of the container, when the same is to be filled from the bottom, is open and is adapted to be closed, for example, by a friction cap or lid 15 after the container is filled with the solidified fuel. ln using the improved lighter, the striker, the end 12 of which has gathered a sufficient portion of the solidified fuel from the container, is withdrawn and the said friction edge thereof scratched or rubbed along the strip of pyrophorous material 11 to produce the sparks which ignite the fuel. ln thus employing a solidified fuel instead of the usual dangerous fuels, not only is the danger and inconvenience in the use of these lighters greatly lessened, but a recharge of the fuel will be less frequently required. ln fact, where the former st-yle with ordinary use requires recharging at short intervals, the present form does not require recharging for long periods. The solidified fuel accumulates in the bottom of the container, surrounding the end of the striker which striker, when not in use, is returned within the member 14 and pressed suii'iciently therein to obtain a tight closure thereof, thus preventing loss of fuel by volatilization.

l claim:

1. A pyrophoric igniter comprising a suitable container adapted to retain solidified fuel, and a. striker member provided with means to remove and retain a portion of said solidified fuel from the container to be ignited by abrasive action.

2. A pyrophoric igniter comprising a suitable oontainer adapted to retain solidified fuel, and a striker member having a hard rubbing surface and recessed end and adapted to remove and retain a portion of said fuel from the container to be ignited by abrasive action.

3. A pyrophoric igniter comprising a suitable container adapted to retain solidified fuel7 and a striker member having L sharp7 receding, rubbing edge and adapted to remove and retain a portion of said fuel from the container to be ignited by abrasive action.

Signed at Newark, in the County of Essex,

and State of New Jersey, this 23rd day of April A. D. 1913.

ALEXANDER HARRIS.

lVit-nesses MARY M. LYNCH, FREDK. F. SOHUETZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, ny addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

